Singles
Gabby Barrett- “Glory Days” (Warner)
The first taste of Gabby Barrett’s sophomore record is one of the more solid efforts in the exhausted canon of summery, life-affirming anthems. I love the banjo-laden production of the verses that give the track a nice, jangly bounce, though the verses continue to expose the fact that she still has yet to land on a sonic setting that really allows her organic voice to breathe on a chorus. Nevertheless, “Glory Days” is hooky, engaging, and undeniably uplifting. There’s some elements of Keith Urban’s fantastic Golden Road era, and it’s a realm that Barrett could really perfect if her production team cleaned up the studio noise.
Ryan Bingham- “Where My Wild Things Are” (Axster Bingham)
It’s great to hear from this Americana troubadour and his singular, growly voice for the first time since 2019. “Where My Wild Things Are” is a splendidly strange and soothing track that glows with a magic, ethereal mountain sound anchored by Bingham’s beautifully rough singing, some mighty fine whistling, and a tender celebration of both music and nature. Highlighted by some Nebraska-era Springsteen-styled phrasing, it all blends to create a truly unique vibe that instantly lures the listener into a divine trance. A wonderfully unique, oddball selection from a wonderfully unique, oddball artist.
Tyler Childers- “In Your Love” (RCA)
Tyler Childers has certainly established himself as one of the most fascinating modern artists to follow, with a seemingly boundless creative scope that never fails to keep listeners on their toes as they anticipate his latest artistic pivot. On “In Your Love”, Childers launches his sixth studio album era with a surprisingly lush but plaintive love song. Any concerns that the piano and string arrangements would signal a glossy transformation of the heretofore country purist are quickly squashed as soon as his burly, guttural twang comes in and gives the record its gorgeous balance. His voice sounds splendid in this setting, which proves to more than properly showcase every gritty, emotive quality that Childers has established as his calling cards. “In Your Love” is never once maudlin or melodramatic. It’s gritty, gorgeous and 100% steeped in real life. So, essentially on brand with the entire catalog which preceded it.
Gus Dapperton- “Homebody” (AWAL)
Another utterly hypnotic burst of bedroom pop that’s punctuated with the infectious spirit of a club banger. Dapperton continues to establish himself as one of the most promising doctors of alt-pop contagion. There’s a modern Prince undertone to the way he so stylishly delivers a lyric and glides across a beat. He’s more than worthy of his own Billie Eilish-styled coming-out party in the mainstream.
Gaslight Anthem featuring Bruce Springsteen- “History Books” (Rich Mahogany)
The revered rock troupe returns to recording for the first time in nearly a decade, and do so in grandiose fashion, duetting with the Heartland Rock hero whose fingerprints have always been endelibly marked through so much of the band’s catalog. They sound straight-up fantastic together in this setting, on a moody, mid-tempo, anti-nostalgia tune about how sometimes the glories of our past only serve to haunt us with regret and sadness.
Greta Van Fleet- “Meeting the Master” (Republic)
Greta Van Fleet keeps the solid rock tracks rolling this month with their latest album, Starcatcher and this beguiling lead single. Lead vocalist Joshua Kiszka and his ensemble continue to pave a path forward for Zeppelin-esque hard rock, while injecting new life into it that expands far beyond novelty nostalgia. Like all great rock epics, “Master” is just as compelling for its subject matter as it is its music, following some form of spiritual believer along a devout but ultimately disastrous journey toward a supposed God. Acclaimed Americana producer, Dave Cobb, makes an impressively seamless transition into the sonics of the rock world here as well.
Hot Country Knights featuring Darla McFarland- “Herassmeant” (Capitol)
Absolutely ridiculous in all the very best ways, Dierks Bentley’s Hot Country Knights side-project returns to once again keep the deep tradition of country comedy alive and well, not to mention the sweet sounds of pure 90s country production. Major kudos to Lainey Wilson for not allowing her status as mainstream country’s darling of the present moment to prevent her from participating, while full-on committing to self-deprecating the viral buzz that her physical features have acquired over the past few years. The track is not only hilariously entertaining, but impressively sharp in its ability to make a light-hearted reference to the MeToo movement without being offensive, while also offering enough heart to sincerely get you rooting through the laughter for Douglas “Doug” Douglason and Darla McFarland to work things out. This is Weird Al-worthy novelty done perfectly right. (Sidenote: amidst recent and concerning chatter about a possible resurgence, Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines should take notes on how to effectively parlay an alter-ego into the country universe.)
Norah Jones- “Can You Believe” (Blue Note)
A rich and sultry plea of longing delivered in the sort of magical, supple way that only the pipes of Norah Jones could deliver. Twenty-plus years on, she remains one of the most magetically soulful vocalists on the planet. Hearing her sing remains a gift of the rarest kind, especially when she’s emoting such wondrous professions: “Come and take me higher, then I could ever climb alone/Set my world on fire, and melt this frozen piece of snow.”
Noah Kahan featuring Post Malone- “Dial Drunk” (Republic)
“Dial Drunk” is quickly showing the signs of becoming a far-too-infrequent mainstream breakthrough moment for modern folk music, which surely can be credited to Post Malone’s presence and the gitty indulgences into his love for roots music that hte song provides. But that’s merely the gateway to a fantastic artistic voice, an equally impressive source album, Stick Season (yes, of which I shamefully missed upon its initial release last year), and a killer song. “Drunk” joyously marries a pop-worthy hook and irresistible chorus with the kind of jangly, authentic musicianship that’s already providing sweet nostalgia for all of us Mumford & Lumineers junkies that miss the brief-but-glorious mainstream domination that folk-rock enjoyed a decade ago. A tremendous, late-blooming summer sensation that could potentially become a true moment by the time the leaves fall.
Demi Lovato featuring Slash- “Sorry Not Sorry (Rock Version)” (Island)
Look, “Sorry Not Sorry” was my ultimate bop of 2017, and easily one of my favorite pop moments of the last ten years. My husband is still trying to erase the sound of me routinely screaming this song while grasping for breath on the treadmill. Whether this newly released rock version will end my long divorce from the gym remains to be seen. But, if you think for even a moment that I’m not unequivocally on-board with a Slash-featured rock version of the song, then you really don’t know me at all.
Maddie & Tae- “Heart They Didn’t Break” (Mercury)
Maddie & Tae music is just good for the soul. The lovely harmonies. The tastefully clean and organic production. The relatable country lyricism, in this instance paying stirring homage to the essential friendships that outlast our most trying romances. If Nashville still had a heavier supply of the variety and taste that they did decades ago, this duo would be occupying the same superstar space that The Judds did before them.
Lori McKenna- “The Town In Your Heart” (CN)
There’s plenty of truth to be found in the proclamations currently making noise in the mainstream media that country music is the voice of small-town people. But it’s because of a lineage of humble poets in the same vein of Lori McKenna, not those behind the black eye currently sitting at the top of the Hot 100. That may seem like a cheap-shot comparison when reviewing this song, since “The Town In Your Heart” is more about small-town romance and heartbreak than it is blue-collar pride. But it is absolutely the epitome of the songcraft that has truly always connected a country story to the hearts of listeners, regardless of where they originate from. This town and its intimate simplicity are symbols of the memories that will connect two lovers long after they have parted ways. And unsurprisingly, McKenna delivers it with fetching grace, honest grit, and engaging and narrative musicality.
Jo Dee Messina– “Just to Be Loved ” (Dreambound)
It’s been heartwarming to see the renaissance that Jo Dee Messina has enjoyed over the past year, and here’s hoping the current 90s country craze results in more artists from her era similarly becoming beneficiaries of the trend. Even better, it seems to be giving Messina the recording buzz back, with “Just to Be Loved” being the first output she’s released in five years. It’s a trademark country-pop anthem of optimism and self-love that Messina has always been one of the best purveyors of, and she sounds just as vocally solid and charismatic as we remembered her.
Buddy & Julie Miller- “Don’t Make Her Cry” (New West)
All hail the return of the Millers, one of modern music’s true royal couples. For any of you doubting that lofty claim, consider the fact that this lead single from their fall LP is one of the very few Bob Dylan co-writes that any fellow artist can boast of durin the past six decades. Better yet, go dig into both their collaborative and respective solo catalogs, and you’ll soon be professing the same. “Don’t Make Her Cry” continues their familial history of outstanding roots music, with its stripped bluesy soundscape and Buddy’s typically sterling storytelling, this time from the perspective of a father conversing with the man who seeks his daughter’s hands. A deeply satisfying preview from what should be one of the autumn’s very best records.
Neon Trees- “Favorite Daze” (Roundhill)
Another colorful splash of the dizzying, bopping pop-rock that we’ve come to love and expect from Tyler Glenn and company. “Daze” bangs along loudly like all of the best Neon Trees party anthems, but there’s both an amusing and reflective observation about the burn-out and reprioritizations that so many of us go through as our 30s become our 40s. That’s no more evident than when we here the “Sleeping with a Friend” singer of a decade ago belt with hilarious but profound conviction on the second verse: “Justify my love or get the fuck off my dick.”
Dolly Parton- “We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You” (Big Machine)
The Country Music and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer continues to preview her robust, forthcoming rock project with a cover of the iconic 1977 Queen two-fer that has firmly implanted itself into our public consciousness thanks to endless AOR airplay and its eventual status as a sports arena fixture. Parton stays completely loyal to the original arrangement, and while that means she doesn’t bring any of the creative reinvention that she certainly is capable of, she asserts herself convincingly in this epic rock setting, no small feat or a 77-year old country legend. Let’s be real: this is the great Dolly Parton tapping into her inner Freddie Mercury; the only real valid complaint about that scenario is that we don’t get to hear her dive full-on into the verses of “We Will Rock You”.
Grace Potter- “Good Time” (Fantasy)
The latest single from Grace Potter dutifully lives up to its title: it’s a groovy, greasy, infectious, soulful slab of classic rock goodness. It radiates with the same glow and spirit of Sheryl Crow’s best 90s moments, while her elastic vocals recall the 70s heyday of Linda Ronstadt. “Good Time” joyously boasts one toe dipped in the modern times of the current moment and another faithfully loyal to the best rock of bygone decades.
Olivia Rodrigo- “Vampire” (Geffen)
As the lead single to Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore follow-up to her 2021 superstar-making debut, “Vampire” stands out as one of the most anticipated pop moments of the year, and folks, she lives up to the hype and then some. A rousing goth-pop-rock kiss off, the track manages to be slithering and burning without being blatantly scatching, thanks to the pure beauty of Rodrigo’s vocal delivery. The performance builds fantastically, beginning as what appears to be a stripped piano rock ballad before exploding into a perfectly dramatic escalator that effortlessly combines her teen pop melodrama with the gusty pop-punk leanings of earlier tracks like “Brutal”. When it all suddenly simmers back to just an a Capella rendering of the gorgeous yet vulgar climax, all of Rodrigo’s beautiful-beyond-years vocals are displayed in fashion that’s nothing short of sublime. “Vampire” is a plum-perfect pop performance in every regard.
Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen- “We Ain’t the Only Ones” (Thirty Tigers)
The Red Dirt country pair expand their series of duets into a trilogy and this lead single reaffirms what was already established long ago: Randy Rogers+Wade Bowen=honky tonk heaven. Name-checking songs have long been cliche in Nashville, but as proven here, they actually mean something in Austin. Keep your ears open for fun shout-outs to everyone from Guy Clark and Jerry Jeff Walker to Cody Jinks, Miranda Lambert, and Lee Ann Womack throughout this three minutes of steel-soaked, twangy goodness.
Shakey Graves featuring Sierra Ferrell- “Ready or Not” (Dualtone)
It’s no surprise that Shakey Graves and Sierra Ferrell sound terrific together, with the quirky alt-folk-rock hybrid of “Ready Or Not” offering a tasty blend of Graves’ raspy Americana deliveries with Ferrell’s crystalline mountain harmonies that’s bridged together by a rich amalgam of bluesy guitars, brooding organ, punchy drum beats, and a sardonic take on the various stages of romance.
Chris Stapleton- “White Horse” (Mercury)
When you’re as universally acclaimed as Chris Stapleton is at this point, it’s become undeniably cliche to proclaim a new song of his as a “definitive” performance. But God damn, if “White Horse”, the lead single from his newly announced fifth album, doesn’t immediately slap you in the face as a defining moment , then I don’t know what the hell is. This is a Southern Rock masterclass spilling over with all of our Stapleton essentials. Passionate and honest emotions. Startlingly great guitar work. And a rapturous, hair-raising vocal that immediately places him among the all-time great singers across the fields of country, rock, blues and soul. Let the countdown to November 10th and the continuation of modern music’s truly great catalogs commence.
Taylor Swift featuring Hayley Williams- “Castles Crumbling” (Republic)
A highlight among the many enticing vault cuts residing on Speak Now’s TV rendering, “Castles Crumbling” transports us back to the whimsical peak of the superstar’s country reign with the added treat of hearing it delivered by her lived-in, latter-day voice. Detailing an empire on the brink of disaster, it paints quite the interesting emotional juxtaposition as Swift-mania enjoys its greatest heights to date over the course of this summer. It also reunites us with the softer, folk-leaning side of Paramore’s Williams, and the pair sound perfectly matched as “Castles” softly builds to its emotional climax.
Shania Twain- “Queen of Me” (Republic)
As the title track to Shania Twain’s most recent album, it’s appropriate that “Queen of Me” also feels like the sonic and thematic heartbeat of the overall record, with its empowering, independent lyrics as well as its expansion of the legend’s country-pop sound into a percussive club-driven sound. But those descriptions really land squarely in the wheelhouse of a catalog that has always been centrally tied to both the girl-power and genre-bending spirits of the 90s. Nobody ever merged those two movements as seamlessly as Shania, and two decades later she remains as convicted in the importance of finding and asserting your own self-worth, all to the beat of a catchy tune. Extra bonus points for the harp fills and their continuous prompts to revisit Janet Jackson’s decadent 1997 touchstone, “Together Again”.
Morgan Wade- “80s Movie” (Sony)
The second release from Morgan Wade’s pending second album trades in her typical grunged-up country-rock sound for sunny folk-pop, without ever betraying the intimate songcraft or honest deliveries that became her central calling cards as her debut album established her as a vital new voice. She guards herself against inevitable heartbreak by comparing her whirlwind romance to a number of popular 80s flicks, a segment of the pop-culture lexicon that is surprisingly underrepresented in pop music song subjects. In between her breezy and peppy vocal turns, she inserts plenty of the lyrical specificity that makes her music so undeniably vivid: “Maybe we can be friends, after this song ends/Then you had my tongue tied up in a knot, underneath the skylit parking lot.”
Hailey Whitters- “Ti’er Down” (Pigasus)
Our summer love-fest with Hailey Whitters continues with a surprise release of a new EP that remains firmly planted in the rootsy, 90s inflected country sound of her fabulous first two albums. Crisp banjo and sweeping fiddle riffs abound as her bright and magnetic voice delivers a bouncy melody peppered with a sly, biting warning not to take your lover for granted: “If you don’t love her at her worst, then you don’t get her at your best/She wants a one woman man in a two horse town/Yeah, she might tie the knot but you can’t tie’r down.” Is there anyone more simultaneously charming and intelligent than Whitters on any music scene at the moment? I seriously doubt it.
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